ProtoHime
by The Fractured
Summary: As the Hime virus spreads through the city of Fuuka, it's up to an infected Shizuru to find a way to stop it and protect those importent to her including her most precious person. Poor summary, Im sorry. Rated for language, later on violence and gore, and eventualy ShizNat.
1. Prologue: In The Beginning

AN- This is my first Mai Hime fanfic so if you spot anything wrong please feel free to let me know. Also it has elements of Prototype and Prototype 2 in it.

This chapter is dedicated to WhenAnxietyKicksIn, if not for her I would never have had the guts to post anything in the first place.

Disclaimer- I dont own Mai Hime/Otome or either Prototype. But I really wish I did. :)

* * *

Brilliant crimson met bored Emeralds as Dr. Fujino was preparing to leave for the evening, she was hoping that Natsuki would react or at least say goodbye, but as usual she had to initiate the conversation with the girl.

"Ara, Natsuki, are you going to be ok without me here to take care of you for the night?" She spoke as seductively as possible with one of her few genuine smiles and was rewarded with an immediate reddening to Natsuki's cheeks. She had only recently started to tease her and had discovered that her patient could turn so many different shades of red.

"Sh-shut up, idiot. Isn't it against regulations or something for you people to become attached to the specimen, you know me." Once again she deflected Shizuru's tease the only way she could by creating distance trying to remind Shizuru what she was. It was strange to her, Natsuki had never cared for people before, but the thought of hurting this one human female pained her slightly. _She is the only human how has ever treated you as a person and not some monster, that's why._ She would tell herself this all the time but it just didn't fit to her, _maybe I'll ask mother next time I get a chance to visit._

Shizuru's smile faltered ever so slightly as Natsuki's words once again caused her pain. _No matter what I do you won't let me see you as anything other than what all the others have said they see._ Shizuru wished she could forget what Natsuki really was but she would always remember her fifth meeting with Natsuki, four weeks ago.

* * *

_**She had accidently angered the blunette and before she knew it she was being held in the air by the slim hand around her throat, feet dangling inches above the floor, she could only stare wide eyed at the beautiful eighteen year old before her in terror, Natsuki had but her down gently after seeing the fear in her eyes and said so quietly that Shizuru could barely believe what she heard, "…you are the only one I don't want to fear me…"**_

* * *

For the briefest moment her hurt flashed on her face but she put up her façade so fast that Natsuki barely caught it.

Sighing, now Natsuki wanted to appease the brunette before she left for the night. "Shizuru, I… I'm sorry if I upset you, maybe next time you could ask the general if we could go on another walk around the building, if you want to… Shiz-gahh" She jumped as Shizuru embraced her saying, "Ara thank you my Natsuki, I'll go ask General Kanzaki before I head home."

A now beet red Natsuki quickly escaped the hug while muttering and looking anywhere but Shizuru, noticing that all of the guards to her room had worried expressions on their faces, but seeing Natsuki jump back flustered had them relaxing but confused. If anyone else were to attempt that they would quickly end up as Natsuki's next meal. _Great now everyone is going to think I'm going soft…_

Shizuru was just gazing at Natsuki with a real smile waiting for Natsuki to become defensive in 3-2-1 and… "Idiot why don't you leave now before I get some mayo and eat you." Natsuki had a smirk plastered on her face, thinking Shizuru would leave now.

Her smirk wavered as Shizuru's smile grew, _this can't be good…_

_Ara, poor Natsuki. You just make this too easy._ "So you wish to _eat me, Na-tsu-ki_." Shizuru's Kyoto-ben dropping low and becoming so seductive, that even Natsuki's guards were sweating. The blunette had become so red Shizuru thought her head would explode. Natsuki for her part had frozen, her brain had just stopped working, heart had stopped beating, and to Shizuru it looked like she had stopped breathing which had her a little worried.

"… Natsuki, are you all right?"

Natsuki snapped back to life at her words, hearing genuine concern in them, _she can't possibly care can she, she nice but… Dammit now I really need to talk to mother this human is to confusing._

Seeing Natsuki breathing and moving again Shizuru relaxed but the blunette's thoughtful expression had her slightly worried. Hoping she didn't anger her Shizuru was about to apologize when Natsuki spoke.

"Please leave…" The quiet words left the room silent.

Shizuru was dumbstruck, as was every guard in the room, the guards had never heard her say please for anything and Shizuru could hear the confusion in hear voice. She would have teased her again but the emotions flashing through Natsuki's eyes made her yield to the request.

"A-ara, I'll see you tomorrow then Natsuki, I'm sorry I upset you. I'll see if they will let Duran in here for bit after I leave." Shizuru grabbed her files and made for the door to Natsuki's glass cell, right as the guard outside unlocked it she heard the voice she loved to listen to quietly drift to her.

"Shizuru wait…"

Shizuru had turned around the instant she heard it and was patiently waiting for her to continue.

"… I …" Natsuki couldn't bring herself to say anything; she just didn't have the words.

"It's alright, why don't you think on it and get some rest. Then tomorrow my Natsuki can tell me." She was relieved that Natsuki wasn't upset with her, now she could leave with one less worry.

* * *

Shizuru had just left the team that looked after Duran only after they assured her that Natsuki would get at least twenty minutes with her beloved pup. There were only three things that could make Natsuki have any kind of emotional reaction Saeko, Duran, and … Shizuru. Thinking of Saeko brought on a whole host of unsettling thoughts to the crimson eyed beauty, _Natsuki at least tries to appear somewhat human. Saeko couldn't care less what anybody thought of her, she readily seemed to despise humans._

Human. Shizuru wanted to show Natsuki what it would be like to live as a normal human girl, but how. After meeting the girl four weeks ago, she had been enraptured by her, then it turned to something else. All she could think of most of the time when she wasn't with the blunette was how to help her out of her current situation.

Now back in her office Shizuru had begun getting her things ready to head home when her eyes fell on the blood sample on her desk from earlier that day. _I think I might have an idea, but first maybe Reito will reconsider…_

Having made up her mind Shizuru grabbed her cell and dialed his number.

"Hello."

"Hello Reito."

"Ah Doctor Fujino, how can I help you?"

_Well it's now or never._ "I wanted to see how you felt about adjusting the security measures assigned to Natsuki."

"…Shizuru…" sighed the general through the phone.

* * *

"… Alright Shizuru, I got it and I'll see what I can do. But you're sure about this, I mean this isn't just going to piss off Sears, it's also going enrage all of district one, including the general."

The woman on the other end had a point, but the earlier conversation with General Kanzaki had gone much worse than she had anticipated. "I know, but that is why I made sure to have a little bit of insurance just in case. Don't forget the laptop at my apartment, I need you to get that as soon as possible. And Chie be careful ok."

"Hey worry more about yourself ok, I'll be fine. And Shizuru good luck." Shizuru could hear the worry and fear in Chie's voice, so she did the only thing she could think of to lighten the atmosphere…

"Ara, you sound so worried about me, I'm flattered but what will we tell Aoi?"

"Hey now no need to go and get her involved in this ok, right, Shizuru… please."

"Alright, now please hurry. I'm leaving right now, and I suggest you do the same."

"Ok, heading out. It's gonna take me a few hours to get there though, and watch yourself Shizuru. You know I don't trust Sears or District One and I never have."

"Goodbye Chie." With that they both hung up, and Shizuru grabbed the vial and left her office locking it on the way out. _Sorry to get you involved Chie, but you always wanted a big story and this is definitely big._

* * *

Shizuru had just stepped out of the building and was hit by the cold night air, and was immediately thankful for her skinny jeans and the leather jacket she had on over her dress shirt. She started walking after she made sure that there wasn't anyone around, _if I can make it to the train before anyone notices then it should all workout._

She had made it three blocks from Sears' Japan branch in Fuuka City when she felt odd like someone was watching her. At the same time her phone rang, she checked the caller ID to find it said colonel t. _Ara I really don't like Colonel Takeda at all, always looking at Natsuki with want and yet always calling her a thing or monster_.

She just kept walking and noticed two people on the other side of the street, they quickly averted their gazes. _Oh no._ They couldn't have found out yet could they, her heart rate began to sky rocket.

There was an ally coming up to her right that cut right to the park which was only a block from the train station. She paused right next to it and turned to see the people behind her and noticed a third person behind her on her side of the street.

They all averted her gaze and the second they did she bolted down the alley without a second thought. As she came upon a fence that cut the alley in half she heard people running to the entrance of the alley.

Quickly climbing over it she glanced back to see that there was now four people chasing her, she ran out of the alley as fast as she could and right across the street without even looking when she heard a shot ring out in the night.

She looked over her shoulder to see that they were still chasing her and that what she heard was a warning shot. That didn't matter to Shizuru cause she had just reached the stairs that lead to the subway station and practically leapt down all of them.

She landed poorly and twisted her ankle, regardless she was far too afraid to stop moving, she was right about to board the train when she heard them all right behind her.

Putting up an almost pleasant smile she turned to face her pursuers, taking note of the four guns aimed at her.

"Can I help you?" Shizuru's smile grew slightly when she noticed that there was no strain in her voice.

"Ma'am you're going to have to come back with us, and we'd like you to hand over the sample…please." The way he said please Shizuru could tell someone high up told them to take her alive, _good. They probably would like nothing more than to fill me full of lead._

She reached into her coat pocket, the four guns aimed at her steady themselves at either her head or chest. Taking a breath she pulled out the vial that they wanted and with the vial in one hand she raised her hands up and they lowered their weapons, caution etched on their faces. _Good they know what it is._

"I am assuming that you know what this is, so I think that I'll be going and you for can catch the next one."

"I'd advise against that Doctor Fujino, we will shoot you." The apparent leader said taking a step forward.

"Really well…" she took a step back and a shot resounded through the station.

Shizuru just barely caught the vial as pain shot there her left arm where the bullet went through.

After everyone was sure that she had a hold of the vial, all eyes turned to the one that had shot her.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing recruit!" The group's leader was enraged.

"Preventing her escape sir." The recruit was starting to sweat under his glare, while their teammates just kept quiet. Shizuru for her part was keep silent while screaming in her mind, if she could just get to the train she had only a few minutes before it would depart.

"ALIVE and UNHARMED, with the VIAL. You just nearly cost us all three, you fucking moron."

While he was going on Shizuru had backed up slowly, she was now only six feet from the doors. Yet every step was agony do to her twisted ankle, and the gunshot wound in her shoulder was pushing her willpower to her limits as she tried to keep silent.

Right as she turned around she heard the recruit say something to her superior and could feel the guns on her back again.

"Stop right there Fujino, you are coming back with us no matter what and so is that vial."

Just then the doors started to shut and Shizuru tried to bolt for it as several shots rang out from behind her.

* * *

Natsuki sat on the bed in her room, _cell is more like it she thought dryly._

She looked around it at the few items she had; a computer that had access only to a small database, two desks one was large for the doctors and scientists to use the other was hers, her bed, and some small dog toys for when they allowed Duran into see her. The whole time her thoughts were on a certain crimson eyed brunette, she had this strange suspicion that something was wrong.

"_Natsuki…"_ The blunette was jolted out of her thoughts by her mother's voice echoing through her mind, her mother rarely talked to her like this so now she was even more worried.

"_Natsuki my darling girl, it is almost time for us to stop playing these humans games._ And just like that she was alone again, but now she felt afraid for Shizuru. Her mother's message meant that the day they had both been waiting for was about to arrive. The day when they would both leave this building forever and Saeko would have justice against the humans, Natsuki had grown up to this so she had no other idea how to live and as such no vast hatred for humans like her mother, but still she had wanted to be out of this cell for good. This was the day that Natsuki had been waiting for her whole life and yet now it did not seem so great, she feared for the one human who treated her human, the one person who seemed to appreciate her existence for more than a science experiment, the one being who made her feel things she's never felt before.

_Shizuru… I will find a way to protect you at least from her._ That was all she could think of as she felt a jolt run through her. _Shizuru…_

* * *

AN- So there it is. Please R&R. And for any who happen to be reaching for a weapon, fear not for it would be hard to have ShizNat without the Shiz so please just wait and see. And thanks for reading. ;)


	2. Chapter 1: Rebirth

**AN- Wow. I didnt expect so many people to like it. Thanks to all of you wonderful reveiwers. And SangLune pointed out that I didn't mention whose blood was in the vial, I thought I did, it was Natsuki's. So thank you to SangLune. Now before I begin this is a horror story so starting in this chapter someparts are going to be dark and gory, you all should know this but still I decided that for the first "gory" chapter that I would cut back on it a little just incase someone doesnt read this authors note, you have been warned.**

**Dislcaimer- Idont own Mai Hime/Otome or Prototype. *Sigh***

* * *

**Chapter One: Rebirth**

Pain

That word was the only way to describe her current existence.

And yet it fell short, so very short, in terms of describing her current situation.

Pain, no.

Torture, no.

Torment, again no.

Agony, Suffering, Anguish… again no.

She realized there was no word to describe it, and the pain was slowly driving all thought from her mind there was nothing to hold onto, to hold back the flood.

Just before she succumbed to it, to her rest, a pair of emeralds flashed through her mind.

_Natsuki, I'm sorry._

Just before dazzling rubies lost their radiance, a smile crossed her lips. And the last words to reach her ears as her body was rolled over were, "Shit, she's dead… sir s-she f-f-fell-l on the v-v-ial it's cracked all over and chunks of it are in her! What do we DO? We c-could BE INFECTED NOW!"

"Shut the hell up! We've been assured by those squints that it isn't airborne. Just get a hazmat team here to clean up and bring this back to Sears. You recruit, now we have to pay the general a visit."

* * *

Natsuki was looking at her computer screen, bored. She had been through the whole database that they had set up for her by the time she was five, she would have hacked into anything to just have something to do but it was hard lined to only the data base, _stupid humans how do they not get bored._

Just as she was about to sigh intense pain ripped through her body, but just as soon as it occurred it was gone. _Something is wrong. _The sudden pain left her shaken, and the monitors conected to her blaring, when the doctors rushed into the room after the guards of course.

After fifteen minutes of telling them she was fine and getting nowhere, she picked up the nearest to doctors and in one fluid motion that took her just seconds, proceeded to throw one into the wall so hard most of the bones in his body snapped loud enough for everyone in the room to know that he was killed instantly.

They all froze terrified, suddenly remembering one very important fact.

Shizuru wasn't **here**.

And when Shizuru wasn't here Natsuki had a tendency to get overly _aggressive_. Shizuru was the only person to ever be able to, for lack of a better word, control Natsuki with just a word. But that thought brought them all back to the current problem that she wasn't here. There was one thought that shot through all of their heads at this realization. Shit.

After the initial shock was over the doctors started to creep to the door, trying to become invisible to Natsuki, while the guards were all thinking on how they could save the other doctor currently in her grip.

Just as one of the guards shifted to try and take the doctor from Natsuki's grip, the room's occupants were treated to a scene straight from a nightmare as vast amounts of fleshy tendrils formed all over the angered blunette and began to pull the doctor in her hand into her body while breaking him apart, rending his flesh and bones. His scream filled the room for less than a second as everyone froze.

With her meal finished Natsuki licked her lips then said matter of factly, "Wish I had some mayo with that."

Since that failed, she calmly walked over to her desk and opened a drawer pulling out a little container that read **Mayo** on the side of it.

Now smirking and holding up the container she said "Alright, which one is the main course?"

Everyone bolted for the door it took a good five minutes for them all to leave since they had to fight at the door for who got to leave first, making her slightly more annoyed but she knew Shizuru would be mad at her already so she restrained herself.

She sighed now that they had left, she let the flood of memories from her meal rush into her…

_**Attending Med School…**_

_**Dating college sweet heart…**_

_**Married with kids…**_

_**Getting recruited to Sears...**_

_**Assigned to the Mother/Hime project...**_

_**News reaching the office from the general about Shizuru...**_

_**Terror as he gaz…**_

_Wait, what was that._ She thought as she refocused on the earlier memory about Shizuru.

…_**he picked up the phone in his office and instantly straightened his back recognizing the General's voice on the other end.**_

"_**Hello sir, what can I do for you if your calling for Doctor Fujino I'm afraid she left al-"**_

"_**I know, she won't be coming for the next few days. I don't want anyone to let the subject know. Am I understood."**_

"_**Yes sir. Is Doctor Fujino alright sir…?"**_

"_**Everything is fine and remember to be careful around her since Shizuru won't be there."**_

"_**Yes si-" He heard the click as the general hung up on him…**_

Natsuki, relaxed as all of his memories were assimilated just as he was. In the beginning she hadn't been able to hold back the torrent after she consumed someone and the flood of memories made her freeze for a few seconds, making it a weakness that she had to remove. She hadn't yet but she could hold them back till she was alone, unfortunately everyone connected to the project knew about it. Then she thought back to the phone call.

_Well I was going to see the gen in the morning anyway, now we have something to talk about. If someone hurt my Shiz… Crap. Mine, where the hell did that come from._

Trying to shake her thoughts, she thought back to the doctor she consumed, _he should have listened better._

That last thought had her smirking till she remembered Shizuru wasn't going to be in for a bit, then how angry she'd be that Natsuki had consumed someone after not doing it since their second week of knowing each other. She then went straight to worrying about her.

_Shizuru…_

* * *

Pain, it ran through her veins like blood.

Her body felt like it was on fire and being jabbed with ice needles, all the while being ripped apart and jammed back together just to be torn again. At the same time it felt like her insides were breaking and moving into new positions, they just couldn't seem to find a spot they liked.

To top off the amazing sensations running through her body she couldn't move no matter what she tried, her limbs didn't move nothing moved no matter how hard she willed anything at all. And to the more disturbing realizations she could feel her eyes were open but she saw nothing, and her chest didn't move at all, she had no idea why but that sent off alarms in her mind. While she was trying to think of why she realized she had no idea where she was or who she was.

_God w-what…is…this. I can't think, I…_

…_need to…find out what's going on…_

_Ok you, I mean me, we have a name what is it… fine where are we… you are useless._

_No you are._

_Great now I'm arguing with myself._

She was about to return to her musings when she heard multiple people approaching… she hoped and yet part of her feared their approach.

_Help me, PLEASE SOME ONE __**HELP ME!**_

* * *

Four Sears's scientists, all wearing hazmat suits, entered the morgue at Sears' Japan headquarters in Fuuka in morbid spirits.

First, they had been told that not only had someone tried to flee with an active strand of the Hime virus, but that it had been none other than the respected Doctor Fujino ex-head of the Hime Project.

Second, she had been killed during the retrieval of the virus and the virus itself had been lost. Both a great loss, more so on the doctor for her work had been years ahead of anyone else.

Third and what was causing the most discomfort to the team, they had to perform an autopsy on Doctor Fujino for she had some of the virus in her system for a few seconds before she died.

The biggest problem this caused would be with her admirers, of which the city of Fuuka was full. She was something of a saint, beautiful, kind, and always helping those less fortunate; she had become a local celebrity so her death would not be made public.

They had been told all of this and yet, she had been a god among men at Sears and to District One, an entirely sobering thought.

Now they had to cut into someone they had all respected, each one of them had asked her for aid at some point in time during her two years at Sears, they had talked received friendly hellos and goodbyes from her. Now she was gone.

They approached the table in the center of the room that held a crimson eyed goddess who breathed no more...

* * *

_Whoever they are they're right beside me how do I tell them I'm trapped in my own head?_

_How do I get them to make the pain go away…?_

_How do I get them to help me…?_

As she thought this the pain lessened, and while not gone she could now hear the people in the room speaking to each other. At first she was hopeful, she even learned her name at least from what they said it was her name, _Shizuru_, but the conversation quickly went where she didn't like…

* * *

The leader of the autopsy team came to a stop right in front of the table first gazing at the pale lifeless eyes, then to his team.

"Alright, I know you're all nervous and dreading this, so let's get on with this. The sooner we finish the sooner District One can have its subject."

"Sir how can you refer to Shizuru like that she was not only one of us, she was head of one of the most advanced bio-projects Sears runs and has advanced the medical community greatly in her four years of research."

The group's leader looked at who spoke, Elizabeth Smith, _one of her many admirers_.

"She was also a traitor to her cause and now dead so we can't change that, but she can still be useful in revealing how the virus reacts in humans, we don't get many chances to see the effects of it on actual human subjects."

Smith spoke up before he could continue, "She isn't just a subject like that thing upstairs, that _**Natsuki**_. That thing is a monster, it did this to her. She was the greatest mind the medical community has ever seen."

She paused, everyone expected her to continue her rant then…

"Let's just get this over with."

"Right, scalpel Smith." He said as he stepped right to the side of Shizuru's body.

* * *

_No this can't be happening they're going to-_

Her thoughts stopped as she felt the cold steel of the small blade begin to slice open her flesh, intensifying the pain that had returned to ravaging her body. Several minutes later the "Y" incision in her chest was finished and her skin and muscles were pealed back, revealing her rib cage.

Through the roaring in her body she heard them speaking, "Sir look at the bullet wounds they look days old but she was just shot about three and a half hours ago."

"Yes, impressive regeneration but all samples that have been introduced with human tissue have under gone horrible mutations, resulting in expiration. But she has no visible tumors or scar tissue besides the bullet wounds. What makes her different, I wonder? Let's remove the organs, time to crack her open."

Shizuru was panicking through the pain then cried out in her mind as she felt her ribs cracked one by one, each one increasing the pain in her tenfold, till her breast plate was removed.

_Please… stop… pl-please._ She was slowly losing what perception of the outside world she had when her sight suddenly returned in an explosion of pain and light.

She took in the bright light shining down on her body and in her peripherals the four people around her. She couldn't move her eyes yet but she could now see the horror they were inflicting upon her as she saw hands disappear from her field of vision she then felt pain as her heart was removed, examined, and then placed in a container for further study.

_Why…_

_Stop, please stop…_

After a few minutes they had removed both lungs as well and were moving on to her stomach. Her pleas were stoping as she became enraged.

_Stop it. Stop it! __**Stop it!**_

_Come on body move, move it._

Her eyes shifted to the man removing her stomach, which didn't go unnoticed by Ms. Smith who had been watching her face.

* * *

"S-sir." Smith was a little shaken and not too sure that her eyes were not playing tricks on her.

"What is it Smith." The group leader looked up, to see her staring at Shizuru's eyes, eyes which were on him now.

"We are certain she is died right, sir?"

Right before he responded those crimson orbs shifted to Smith, and all four of them had seen it.

"But how." He looked to her open chest cavity, then to the containers holding her organs, then back to her eyes which were on him now. He could see so much pain in them and underneath it all an intense rage, _oh dear lord no._

All of them were watching her eyes now, one of the ones who hadn't spoken yet had moved closer to her and had a scalpel.

* * *

_If you think I'm gonna roll over and die now…_

He raised the scalpel above her throat.

_Move body, grab his hand. Throw him away, something._

Right as his hand plunged toward her throat her right hand shot out and knocked him straight into the wall fifteen feet away. The others were dumbfounded and had no time to respond as she jumped onto the floor, the pain racking through her body was quickly replaced with an intense overwhelming hunger, and she was going to sate it now.

She leapt forward and grabbed two of the remaining scientists and threw one into the corner while trying to grab the last one she missed and he ran. She didn't even bother to follow, she looked at the woman in her hand, the only readable expression on Shizuru's face **hunger**.

"W-w-wait Doctor Fujino, we di-" She was silenced as flesh tendrils burst from Shizuru's body and grabbed her, along with the two deceased on the floor, pulling them to Shizuru and breaking them down.

A new pain ran through her body as she felt her bones and muscles stitching themselves back together, her organs grew back, the bullet holes closed, and finally the incision on her chest closed up. Then to further her amazment her clothing patched itself up like her skin.

After her body finished patching itself together, her mind was assaulted by memories that weren't hers of that she was certain. The torrent became so great she fell to the floor holding her head screaming, her head feeling ready to burst as she was subjected to the images all jumping through her mind at light speed, the entire lives of three different people she had just killed.

_**Practice…winning team…victory cele-at home playing with children…walking a do-running to class...**_

After a minute or two she regained sense of her surroundings as the memories finally were all assimilated into her, and to her surprise she wasn't dead since she thought she was going to die, _again apparently_.

She went back through the memories she had just gained and after discovering that Smith had an unhealthy obsession with her life before she died, learned that most people believed Shizuru had destroyed her career because of a **Natsuki**.

_Ara that is such a beautiful name._

As she thought that a pair of emeralds flashed through her mind, instantly bringing her comfort but she didn't know why.

_I must find out who this Natsuki is, but first I need a place to rest and find out what is going on. Normal people can't just do…that…everything I just did._

After checking Smith's memories one more time she learned a lot about who she supposedly is, part of her was greatly disturbed by this, and managed to find her address too, now she was even more disturbed.

_Alright, time to go._

She bolted to the door throwing it open, not even realizing that it flew off its hinges at her yank or that she's covering a distance of forty to fifty feet ever second.

She ran through the building using the memories of the team she consumed to get to the exit, but right as she rounded the corner to the straight away that had the door to her freedom the alarms in the building went off.

She bolted right for the door not slowing at all just throwing her shoulder into it.

* * *

**AN- Alright and there it is, thank you for reading and once again please R&R. Also for any who would like to have some input on the story I would like to have you guys tell me who your least favorite character is from the Mai Hime/Otome, but I would like it to be someone other than the cast already listed so far or Tomoe or Nagi. Those two already have a part to play later. The one that gets chosen will have a significant part to play soon.**

**Also for any one who is curious I had originally planned on starting this story at the morgue scene instead, same with this chapter. Alright till next time.**


	3. Chapter 2: First Steps

**AN- Not much to say, been getting some awesome reviews so I wanted to get this out, sorry for all the mistakes, I dont have a beta.**

**Disclaimer- You all know right, I dont own Mai Hime/Otome or Prototype.**

**Alright lets get this started.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: First Steps**

Shizuru burst through the door of Sears' Japan headquarters and watched amazed as said door went flying into the security wall some forty feet away, _Ara, did I do that? But I just threw my shoulder into it…_

Next she was greeted by the site of four armed guards and the scientist who got away, just staring at her. She took in their clothing, _special ops gear, metal plates placed over vital less maneuverable points of the body, face masks that cover the whole face and look to have heads up display interfaces and air filters, suits completely sealed, I do believe these are District One combat troops._

Quickly checking her newest memories she found she was correct, _now it is time to leave_.

Just as she was preparing to flee one of the guards stepped forward, "Easy now Doctor Fujino, I'm Sergeant Yamato and we all just want to calm down and see everybody get through this just fine, so how about you come with us to General Kanzaki and this can all just be swept under the rug, right?"

The moment he said Kanzaki she froze her mind in overdrive as a few scarce memories flashed through her mind from her earlier… meal involving the scientists.

_**Tall man with dark hair short hair and pale eyes…**_

_**Flashing a toothy smile to most of the attractive women he passed…**_

_**Talking to and hugging Shizuru in public…**_

The four guards were eyeing her warily now, Shizuru had just started to hyperventilate and her eyes had glazed over.

_It's just like what the higher ups say happens with that subject they keep up stairs, when she eats people and is living in a flashback. But Doctor Fujino would have to be…_ The sergeant stopped his musings when Shizuru clutched her head and let out a pained grunt.

Now Shizuru was assaulted by memories that weren't from her three earlier victims, _where are these coming from…are these mine, is this my past I'm seeing…_

_**Walking down a hallway at Fuuka High with Reito, a blonde with long hair, and a brunette with short hair. Through the small talk they were making she learned that the blond was Haruka and the brunette was Yukino.**_

Now the memories were coming faster but she could tell it was just small scenes from the life she had had before.

_**Reito being there and comforting her when her parents died, when she was 14…**_

_**Talking to Reito at lunch in the student council room…**_

_**Politely turning him down…**_

_**Being given a job offer from Doctor Kruger, CEO of Sears and head of the bio-wing, because Reito had stepped in to help her…**_

The pain in her head during her memories was far more intense than the pain from other's memories, as she felt each neural connection in her brain reconnect and repair the damage that dying had caused.

After it all died down she noticed the guards and scientist had begun approaching her while in her defenseless state, the sergeant still had his hands out but the other three had leveled their guns at her as she started to regain her senses, the scientist while intrigued was letting the soldiers approach first.

_Too close, gotta find a way out._ She thought as she looked at the security wall lining the facility, it was at least fifty feet tall and made of concrete, so she guessed that it was at least several feet thick.

_Need a way over that wall…_

The group in front of her was only seven feet from her, she would have started to panic if she didn't notice a flatbed truck over in the corner. _Ara, I hope this works._

_That's close enough_. At five feet from her they froze, she could smell their fear, and looking at the reflective visor of the scientist she could see why they froze. Her eyes were those of a demon, the whites had gone black, the pupils had vanished and her irises were glowing.

After her split second of shock, Shizuru ran past the group. A second later and she was half way across the lot when the four soldiers behind her opened fire, she felt several blow right through her. The pain was great but not nearly as terrible as her dissection earlier, and shocking to her she found it easy to keep running.

Right as she made it to the truck she jumped hoping to land on the truck, but she soon realized she was over shooting the truck altogether and heading straight for the top of the wall she hoped to jump.

Now arms flailing as bullets were flying around her she grabbed at the edge of the wall and managed to pull herself up, and then rolled on to her back panting. _Did I just… Ara, that's going to take some time to get used to._

She remained like this for about two seconds when a bullet ricocheted off of the wall. Now remembering her current position, she jumped to her feet and looked over the edge. _That's quite a fall there, how do I get down?_

While contemplating her predicament Shizuru heard a screeching noise that she recognized as that of tires. Peeking over the edge further down she saw more District One troops as well as police closing off the roads for several blocks around the Sears building.

Shizuru took a deep breath while backing up to the other edge leading back to where she came from, _no other option._

Taking one last deep breath, Shizuru ran for the edge and kicked off of it as hard as she could. She heard the cracking of concrete and looked back while soaring threw the air, to see right where she jumped from was cracked inward just slightly.

Turning back around she noticed that she was heading straight for a police car and the officers near it were just dumb founded as to what they should do, flying people aren't covered in training. She landed on her feet and put her hands down to help stabilize herself, when she saw that her landing had cratered the road in by about an inch, turning back she could see the wall she jumped from was a good hundred, hundred and fifty feet from her.

Turning back to the crater she just made she saw it had become covered in a dark red liquid, _what…_

She looked down at herself and counted well over twenty bullet holes and from what she could guess District One was just getting started.

She looked back at the still shocked officers and then ran down the nearest alley, hearing the officers calling for backup having finally snapped out of their stupor.

The alley lead to an intersection that hadn't been blocked off yet so when she emerged she was met with the sight of several dozen civilians, a few of them took note of her appearance and called 911, while some tried to approach her saying it would be alright.

Not even seconds later Shizuru heard the sirens,_ best intentions how fitting._

She ran past or outright jumped most of them, then ran down the street taking any and every turn or alley she could, at a full sprint. Five minutes later she had traversed two miles and was looking for a place to catch a breather.

* * *

Stopping in front of another alley, _I really don't want to have to sleep in such a space but…_ Looking around and seeing some of the people on the near deserted sidewalks she quickly ducked in. About twelve feet in she could see a trashcan so she fell right down beside it opposite from the alley entrance.

_Now I just have to figure out how to get these wounds to close…_ She thought while looking at the holes littering her body, and all but jumped out of her skin when a few of them sealed up. Shizuru then noticed that that little bit of regeneration had sapped her she was now past exhausted near ready to pass out when…

"Meow… moewwwww"

A cat just walked up to her but then stopped about three feet from her sensing danger but not enough to outright scare it, from what it could see it would have a meal soon, or a meal ticket. Either way it would win.

And normally it would have been right.

That would have been what would happen if Shizuru were normal.

But what happened next startled the cat and when it tried to run it was too late.

"Ara, how sad. Sorry kitty," Tendrils shot out and snatched up the startled cat and before it could make a sound it was gone.

She was then assaulted by what she guessed were the cats memories but her exhaustion combined with the difference in a cats brain compared to a humans made it too difficult for her to care at the moment she was however pleased to see that about a total of half the bullet wounds had closed up.

_Ok, now it's time for a quick nap…cat nap…maybe just a tad too far there._ Her grim smile faded as she closed her eyes…

And just before sleep could take her, Shizuru felt a presence, more like presences at the entrance to her hiding spot. The street lights made it hard for them to see into the near pitch black alley, but she had no trouble seeing them with light at their backs.

* * *

Two officers and a police dog were there, talking with the dog growling right at her. She could easily her conversation from her spot even though they were a good fifteen feet from her.

"… and I told you, everybody says a woman matching her description ran to this street. That last couple said they saw someone run down this alley. And see Max, he's growling for no reason. She is so down there." Shizuru was near panicking again, that officer didn't seem like he believed himself entirely, but Shizuru knew quite well where she was.

"Yeah, she was ten minutes ago. Did you also hear how she flies and is faster than a speeding bullet. We are looking for an injured person, injured being the key word there. I say we check Fuuka General, it's the nearest hospital, and since I'm the senior officer, wha-"

"Look! Blood trail! See, see I told you. She's down there."

"Or some poor helpless bastard was mugged, but-"noticing his partner was going to object, "We will check it out."

They entered the ally with flashlights in hand, and began to walk towards Shizuru's hiding spot. She pulled her legs up against her chest to hide them like the rest of her, but the officers had heard her.

The dog ran right to her growling and barking, just a foot or to out of her range.

"Hey is anybody there, police, so come on out." The senior officer came up right behind the dog and shone his light on Shizuru. "Shit, you were right, someone is down here. Look at all the blood on her, call an ambulance."

"Oh God-"was all the junior officer got out before he had to turn away, before he would lose his lunch. He then called for an ambulance, "Control we have a mugging gone wrong need immediate medical assistance at an alley off of Sakura Street. Will have officers on scene." A pause as he listened, "Got it. They are on their way."

"Good, ma'am I need you to relax while we try to put pressure on some of those wounds. Do you understand me?" Shizuru didn't move but she kept her eyes on him the whole time, her breathing picking up a little as he got closer.

"Ma'am its ok calm down we aren't going to hurt you, ok." Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere he tried a different approach, "Do you know who did this to you, you can tell us, we can keep you safe."

As he waited for a response Shizuru tried not to laugh at the situation, _I just got done running from your friends, who by the way did this to me and yet you are here trying to help me. Ara, ara what a day this has been._

Both parties now contemplating, the officer how to get Shizuru to react in some manner, and Shizuru how to get away, when the officer thought he had figured it out, "Ma'am did whoever did this to you do anything else to you?" He asked trying to be as polite as he could his partner had retreated to the entrance of the alley to await the ambulance, while Max, Shizuru noted with agitation was still right beside the officer in front of her, staring at her.

She chocked when what he said finally registered in her head, "w-what!"

"Look ma'am I know that this is di-"Sirens cut off the rest of his speech, "It seems the ambulance has arrived." He said while looking away, and the way he turned his body Shizuru saw his gun at his side.

Normally it would not have affected her but she had just been shot at by a special military branch and police less than half an hour ago and now her brain was on overdrive.

_If they take me to a hospital Sears or District One will find me, need to leave, especially if they find out who I am. If they try to stop me… I don't want to hurt them but…_

She stood up quickly, shocking the officer who tried to help her, "Hey easy now just sit back down your hurt pretty badly and quite frankly I have no idea how you're still alive. So let's just sit back down." At this moment the other officer came back there here, wow miss you shouldn't move."

Shizuru was starting to feel suffocated with these two, and as her panic was rising, the officer's dog, Max, began to growl at her. "Shut it Max, she just needs to-"

"Do you see her eyes!" The older officer said as the younger one looked back to her, seeing her whites had turned black and the irises had begun to glow and there were no pupils. "What the…" They both reached for their guns.

_I need some kind of a weapon._ She thought as she also noticed the medics coming down the alley. _Anything would do, even a knife or claws like that cat but bigger._

What happened next shocked everyone present as pain racked Shizuru's arms, she could do nothing but stare at them as they changed, first the skin turned pitch black and her arms shrunk in diameter. Then they became several inches longer while small upwards pointing spikes grew out of her fore and upper arms, and finally her hands became wider and each finger slowly became a giant curved claw that then became a two foot curved metallic blade.

Shizuru couldn't believe what she was seeing, she flexed each claw and though it a appeared metallic it moved as if it were just a finger, she was still contemplating her new cosmetic change when a gunshot sounded and a bullet tore into her throat.

Feeling only a dull ach in her throat Shizuru turned now hungry eyes to the two officers, and before either could move, had jumped forward and slammed her newly clawed left hand into the closer, senior, officer's gut, her claws easily coming out the other side of him by quite a few inches. She then reached for the other officer but he stepped back out of her range and aimed to fire, _I have had it with being fired at,_ as she thought that tendrils shot out of her arm and latched onto him pulling him right in and consuming him.

_**Flashes of officer training… Patrolling in a squad car… heading into the alley…**_

As she returned to herself, Shizuru noticed that the dog had a hold of her left arm, trying to rip it apart. She quickly shrugged the dog off and simply flung her arm up faster than the human eye could see, splitting the officer into sections.

She glanced at the now again growling dog, and her blood dripping from its mouth and something in her told her that this animal would need to be put down. Right as it jumped at her she quickly rammed her claws into its head killing it instantly.

"We have officers down." Shizuru turned to the retreating paramedics and bolted right out of the alley, noticing that she had completely regenerated and was no longer tired.

She had gotten a few blocks from the alley when a police cruiser came up right behind her.

"Stop running, drop your weapons, and put your hands on the ground!" Was shouted at her through a megaphone.

Shizuru just looked at her hands then picked up the pace beginning to lose the car.

"Hey I said stop now."

_And I don't care._

She noticed that the road ended at a T intersection, with a skyscraper dead ahead, _I guess I'll just climb up_.

* * *

The police cruiser jammed on the brakes at the intersection while she ran right up to the building and jumped straight up and hit the side running. She only faltered when she realized she was running straight up the side of the building, her strides cracking concrete and glass alike.

In no time she reached the top some fifty stories up, she paused to look over the side and became dizzy.

Pulling back from the edge Shizuru looked at her hands, _how do I make them normal again?_

A slight pain ran through her arms and they returned to normal, _Ara how useful, now to just get home without being noticed, if only I had a disguise…_

The pain returned but ran all over her skin and the next thing she knew, Shizuru was wearing a police officer's uniform, she ran over to the edge and leaned over gazing at her reflection in the widow below her and saw a man gazing back, "Gahhhh!"

She jumped back and shifted back, now looking again she saw crimson eyes peering back. Then she shifted and watched as her reflection became a mass of tendrils for a split second, then the officer she consumed earlier was staring back at her.

_Ok, now to get home._ She did one more quick check of Smith's memories before she ran right for the edge in the direction she needed to head and jumped as hard as she could.

_This must be how a bird feels… Or not._

Now she was plummeting for the ground at an angel and her speed kept increasing.

_This is gonna hurt._

* * *

She landed a half mile away, with an incredibly loud thump as she cratered in the sidewalk by several inches and created enough force to set off nearby cars' alarms. But that isn't what shocked her she had barely felt the impact, _no pain at all._

She began running again, this time up the nearest small building and began jumping from roof to roof.

* * *

Shizuru stopped right in front of the Garderobe Heights, the most expensive apartments in Fuuka from what she could tell.

As she approached the door the doorman greeted her, "Hello ma'am your guest had just arrived not fifteen minutes ago and should be waiting for you in your penthouse."

"What guest?"

"Why your young lady friend, of course. She should be waiting for you, ma'am."

"Thank you…"

* * *

Shizuru arrived at the door on the top floor right in front of her penthouse. She took a deep breathe shifted into the officer again and opened the door.

After going in a couple of steps she was hit in the face with a baseball bat.

* * *

**AN- So there you go, Im off to work on chapter three. Please R&R cause it really does make me work harder and faster.**

**Also, if you want to choose Shizuru's first real enemy Im still trying to decide who it will be, and all input is valued and welcome.**


	4. Chapter 3: Before the Storm

**AN- Sorry that this took so long to get out, first I had a horrible case of writters block ( which wAki helped me get rid of, she also helped me finish this one so please she her some love ), then my dad was rushed to the ER again, real life is so much fun. Now we go back to Natsuki and the cast gets a little bigger, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer- I dont own any of the Mai series or Prototype.**

**I am dedicating this chapter to wAki, without her it wouldnt have made it out this soon and she has to deal with me and everything I think up. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Three: Before the Storm**

Natsuki sighed while petting Duran, who was currently enjoying his rub down while laying on her lap. The young wolf pup had been brought in with a whole host of other animals, all of them were to be used to see the effects of the virus on living beings, but the pup had a degenerative disease, deeming it useless in the eyes of Sears for it had only weeks to live at best.

So in the truest sense of squeezing a dollar out of a dime they decided to give it to the "subject" as her meal. After all they had fed her animals before, usually cows and other larger creatures. No one expected her to fall in love with the animal the moment she laid eyes on it.

* * *

_Natsuki looked up from the bed she was laying on, as the door opened to her cell. She checked the clock positive that lunch was early when she saw the first guard that entered had a small bundle of fur in his hands._

_The guard was shocked as he was nearly tackled by an excited Natsuki, she quickly picked up the pup and began examining it, and the startled animal let out a yelp but was quite otherwise._

"_Here is your lunch early," was all he said while watching the subject examine the pup, _she's never examined her food before.

_Emeralds snapped to him, now Natsuki had a confused look on her face. "Where is it?"_

"_Where is what?" Now the guard was confused._

"_My meal."_

"_You're holding it." As he said it he was becoming increasingly nervous, _she has never bonded to anyone or anything before.

_Now she looked pissed, "No this is Duran, where is my meal?"_

WHAT. She has already named it. Great._ Now he was thinking of how he was going to get out of the room, he could feel his buddies slowly backing to the door._

"_If you give me a moment I can go get you an appropriate… um meal, it will just be a mo-"_

_The other guards bolted for the door._

_He never got to finish his sentence._

* * *

"He should have brought me my meal at the same time as he brought in you right, Duran?" She had a smile on her face as she pet her little pup.

The wolf pup let out a contented sigh then eyed his master, even though he was a pup and had only met Natsuki about three weeks before Shizuru met her, he could sense that his master was troubled.

Standing on her lap now, he leaned forward and began licking her face, Natsuki let out a little laugh and pushed him back down.

"Easy boy, I might miss Shizuru but she will be back and everything can go back to normal. Maybe she will even fulfill her promise and let us go on a walk in the city…" She whispered as she remembered Shizuru's promise.

* * *

"_Natsuki if you can behave and show everyone that you aren't a danger maybe the General will let me take you out into the city for a little bit, what do you say, I'll even see if we can bring Duran. But you have to behave for a bit. That means no throwing people or eating them, and please stop telling them that you will eat them, it is not helping you. So what do you say?"_

_Natsuki had been listening and Shizuru had sounded so honest when talking to her, unlike everyone else who had made promises to her, even her mother. But Shizuru had a smile on her face, a true one, one she saved only for Natsuki. Natsuki had begun to notice these types of things about Shizuru over the two short weeks they knew each other, _why do you always act so different towards me no one else does, and you wear a mask when you are with other humans, but still not me, why?

"_Fine, you have a deal… Shizuru."_

"_Ara, thank you Natsuki!" Natsuki was stunned for the genuine happiness that she heard in her voice and for the first time blushed in front of her._

"_Idiot, I was just agreeing to your deal. That's it, no reason to get so excited." Shizuru noticed the blush and thought it was the most adorable thing Natsuki had done yet._

"_That's not why I'm excited, my Natsuki. You called me Shizuru, not Fujino or Doctor."_

"_What I didn't erm…"_

* * *

It had gone downhill after that, Shizuru started to tease her daily.

But Natsuki couldn't help but look forward to her coming every day after that promise.

"One of these days the three of us are going to go on that walk Duran you'll see…" She mumbled as she began to daydream about it, it was probably her favorite past time.

* * *

_Natsuki was walking down the sidewalk with Shizuru beside her and Duran running circles around them._

_As Natsuki looked around she could see tall walls of glass, every building looked the same since she had never been outside before. She had tried to live through the memories of those she had consumed but she was never able to mentally piece together the city, people didn't tend to pay much attention to the world around them as they walked to and from places._

_Even if everything looked the same, Natsuki was pleased with it, she had Duran and Shizuru, what more did she need. She and Shizuru began a pleasant conversation, with Shizuru doing most of the talking since even in her mind Natsuki couldn't find a way to say anything about her confusing feelings,_ yep you're definitely a terrifying monster Natsuki.

_As they walked the conversation turned to food and they decided to go to a restaurant that just appeared where one of the endless sky scrapers used to be, it was a restaurant that Natsuki recognized from several memories that she had assimilated._

_It had tables outside and inside, they chose to sit outside. A faceless waiter quickly got their orders and then the food appeared instantly. They simply enjoyed the company while they ate and once they finished Shizuru stood and said "Ara, my Natsuki, I hope you enjoyed this, where would you like to go next. Or would you prefer to go back now?"_

_This is where her daydream would normally end, but since it was a day dream she figured now was the perfect time to practice._

"_Actually Shizuru, there is something I wanted to talk to you about…"_

"_Really, and what would that be, Natsuki?" Natsuki had looked away when she spoke and looked back now to see that they were in a park, it looked like a large circle of grass with trees here and there, and the rest of it was blackened out, as if they were under a spotlight._

"_Well, y-you s-se-e I wanted to um, talk to …" Her voice failed her, even in a daydream she couldn't tell Shizuru, _what if she's afraid of me, what if she laughs and says it was just a joke._ But her greatest fear was what locked her mouth shut._ What if she leaves and doesn't come back…

_Shizuru had stepped right in front of Natsuki while she was thinking and leaned forward, "Yes, Natsuki. What is it you wish to tell me?" Her voice sent shivers down Natsuki's spine. _Now or never…

"_Shizuru, I wanted to tell you…" Natsuki stopped as her dream self felt warm breath on her lips, Shizuru was right in front of her, their lips separated by only a few inches now._

"_If Natsuki isn't going to use her lips, I think I will…"_

_Shizuru leaned forward and right as they were about to kiss-_

* * *

Natsuki was jolted to her senses by Duran's small growls. She looked to find him at the glass wall, glaring at a redhead with lime colored eyes who was just smiling back at her, "My, by that shade on your face I say someone had a 'good' dream. How was she, eh mutt?"

_Great just who I wanted to see..._ Natsuki quickly looked to her mirror to see she was indeed red-faced. _Even in a dream she makes me blush, infuriating woman_.

"Now, you know spider I really don't want to do this right now, so Nao would you go away now." Natsuki smirked as she finished knowing it would piss of her 'friend'. The redhead hated it when Natsuki did that, used the word 'now' as much as possible with her name.

And it had the desired effect Nao was not happy, her smirk replaced with a scowl. Right before she uttered her retort, it looked like a light bulb went on above her head and her smirk returned.

"So where is the mutt's leash at anyway, last I heard she visited you every day." At this Natsuki's blush returned thinking of her daydream, but Nao's next comment had shocked Natsuki still.

"Maybe you finally scared her off for good or maybe not, hmm. Either way, maybe I should go find her, we could go for a walk around the city, could even take your little pup there, what's his name again… Duran with us and get him some exercise for you. And then later we could go back to my place and well, you know do this and that, what do you think mutt?"

Nao's smirk grew as she watched Natsuki just standing there stock still, staring at the floor, her hair covering her face. She almost began laughing when she saw Natsuki begin to shake, but any sadistic joy she was having at Natsuki's expense vanished when said girl raised her face back up to look at Nao.

Natsuki was glaring at her now, but her eyes had changed, the whites were now black, and her forest green irises had swallowed her pupils and were glowing now.

_How dare you…_

_Nao…_

Pure rage and hatred were etched on Natsuki's face as she slowly walked toward Nao, but with each step she took she her slowly started to smirk.

_So safe on the other side of that blast glass Nao? We'll see…_

Now Natsuki was standing in front of Nao, with only a foot of glass between them. It was taking everything that Nao had in her to not take a step back.

"Did you know Nao, that this reinforced blast glass can stand up to two thousand pounds, one ton, of force per square inch? That's what the general has assured me of, many times before. Keeping the public safe and all that." As she spoke Natsuki placed her right hand on the glass palm facing away from her.

Nao relaxed, all the tension leaving her body, _not even you can get through that mutt_, her smirk returned.

_That's what I was waiting for spider._

Nao could see from Natsuki's posture that she was pushing on the glass and she laughed, even some of the guards in the hallway gave a light chuckle at her attempts. As Natsuki continued, Nao continued to laugh at her till…

_**CRACK**_

_And there it is._

Silence.

No one moved or breathed as a large crack spread out from where Natsuki was pushing, and then she gave one last push and half of the wall spider-webbed with cracks in it.

Nao took a shaky step back then ran down the hall while all the guards readied their weapons and told Natsuki to back away from the wall.

"Fine." She smirked.

_Got my point across anyway._

Before she went back to her bed as guards rushed in, some toke Duran away, the rest just had their weapons trained on her, trying their best not to show any fear.

She walked up to the closest guard, who took several steps back. "Tell the general, two days."

"W-what about t-two d-d-days?"

Now Natsuki had the most disturbing smile on her face as her eyes returned to normal. Then she continued, "The day after tomorrow, if Shizuru doesn't come back by then, I'm going to go find her."

As she went back to her bed to lie down his response made her let out a small laugh, "You know we can't allow that."

As she laid down she gave a short reply that chilled the blood of all the guards as they left the room, "You can try to stop me, if you like."

Now that she was alone again, Natsuki's thoughts traveled back to Shizuru, but now there were twisted and warped. She kept imagining that Shizuru was just playing with her the whole time and that she didn't care for Natsuki at all, or worse that she liked Nao and it was all just a sick game they played with her. See who could break her first.

_In two days I will have my answer…_

_Do you care Shizuru?_

* * *

Nao ran down the hallway, news had already spread that there needed to be improved containment measures placed around the subject, _not that that will matter, she just pushed and the glass gave way, why is she still even in that cage if she can just knock over the walls._

As Nao continued her panicked musings she reached the one room she knew would not only be empty in the Sears building, but might hold an answer or two for her.

_Shizuru's office, I need to find you just in case mutt does decide to get out, you will be my bargaining chip Fujino._

She quickly picked the lock on Shizuru's office door with a nail file and entered while closing the door behind her, then locking it.

Nao quickly looked around the office to find it was rather barren aside from the very expensive looking computers at her desk, _why would anyone need more than one at work._

She sat down in front of the main screen and went through the desk, only finding work related documents and a photo of Natsuki sleeping, _wow the mutt doesn't look murderous at all in her sleep, almost cute… Why does Fujino have this?_

Not finding anything useful, Nao turned her attention to the screen in front of her, noticing a second photo of Natsuki, this one had her glaring at whoever was taking the photo, right beside it, _OMG someone has a thing for the thing, this is to good._

Nao turned on the computer and cursed, glaring at the password screen. _Now if I were a Fujino what would my password be…?_

Nao looked back at the photo of Natsuki, _oh please Shizuru, be that predictable._

Nao typed in Natsuki and cursed when it didn't work. She grabbed the photo and was going to ripe it in half when she noticed writing on the back from the screens light.

Turning it over Nao saw the name "Kuga" on the back, "Didn't know you had a last name mutt."

_Ok one more time…_

Nao typed in Natsuki Kuga and nearly fell out of the chair when it actually worked, _seriously Fujino._

She spent that next half hour checking everything she could find on Shizuru's computers but couldn't find anything telling her where she could find the woman, she was going to give up after checking this last hidden file on the computer but when she opened it she paled.

It had two data packets in it, one labeled Project Aries, and the other named Project Kyoto. They both had dates next to them, Aries happened 18 years ago and Kyoto happened 8 years ago. But what had caused her to pale was what came after the dates, Clearance Kanzaki, and Shizuru had not been able to open them. _Meaning that you're not supposed to have these Fujino or else he'd have given you access. Maybe District One did do something to you…_

She nearly jumped out of her skin when her cell went off, effectively finishing her detective work.

Quickly answering it her heart dropped even more at the voice coming through the phone. "You're expected in the lab in ten minutes, Valkyrie Seven."

"Got it, _Colonel._" Nao put as much venom in her voice as she could.

"See you there Seven."

"Prick…" She muttered after he hung up.

_Yuuichi you bastard, when the mutt does break out I only hope you and your sick friends are higher up on her list than me… Maybe you could be if I let her know you guys might've hurt her precious Fujino…_

* * *

Nao arrived at the normal lab with a minute or two to spare, as usual, to stare at the medical bed in the room with a covered female figure hooked up to several machines.

_One of these days, I will find out what caused the accident…_

Just as she was going over what her vengeance would be like, Colonel Yuuichi entered the lab with Doctor Kurauchi, carrying his suitcase, in tow.

Doctor Kurauchi walked up to the desk beside Nao and placed the metal suitcase he had on it. After he opened it he prepped Nao's arm for the injection.

He turned on a recording device then began filling a syringe with a black fluid, and then turned to Nao who looked away as he said, "Valkyrie Seven, injection number 734, Hime virus at fifteen percent potency now, increased from twelve."

He watched as the injection site showed no reaction, "No visible reaction to injection for the third time in a row, and how do you feel? Any of the normal side effects?"

Nao shook her head, "No adverse side effects present in Valkyrie Seven for the first time, follow up in twenty-four hours."

With that he cleaned up and left, the colonel stayed a moment to eye her before he left as well.

"…bastard…"

Nao barely even noticed as her phone went off, she checked the message, **Juliet lets meet in a half hour at Fuuka Park.**

Nao sent her response, then gave the unconscious woman on the bed a small smile before leaving while muttering, "Sorry, off to meet another undesirable but this one I'm getting paid for, got to go."

* * *

**Ok and now we take a quick-ish break, hope you enjoyed it.**


	5. Chapter 4: Breaking Point

**AN- Ok Im really sorry that this took this long, things at home have gone to hell lately so I lost the will to write for a bit then got it back and started work on other projects. I also should have posted this a few days ago but, idk I have no excuse, sorry. Hopefully the fact that it is my longest chapter ever makes it a little better right? Anyway here it is and things are starting to heat up.**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Breaking Point**

Shizuru slowly awoke in her bed, quickly looking around to see that everything was how she had left it last night.

As she slowly took in her surroundings she was jolted fully awake at the sound of her door opening. Shizuru didn't move as a longhaired brunette entered her room and went to set her bag down on the table by the door.

The moment her back was to Shizuru, she jumped from the bed and landed silently behind the woman, whom she noticed was dressed as a secretary.

Right as the brunette turned around she was met with a demon eyed, claw armed Shizuru who was only a foot from her. As Shizuru watched only mild shock passed through the blue eyes looking into her crimsons so intently, as if searching for something, scrutinizing her very soul.

After a few seconds she did something that caught Shizuru completely off guard causing her to revert to normal.

"Glad to see your still in there somewhere Shizuru." the brunette exclaimed right before she flung her arms around Shizuru.

A now shocked Shizuru tried to figure out what was going on, most people she didn't know, which is almost everyone right now, tried to kill her.

Her panic set aside she remembered last night just getting home…

* * *

_Shizuru arrived at the door on the top floor right in front of her penthouse. She took a deep breathe shifted into the officer again and opened the door._

_After going in a couple of steps she was hit in the face with a baseball bat._

_Shizuru heard a loud "Oh shit!" as the slight ache left her head, now she was glaring at her attacker, a charcoal grey haired woman with brown eyes and glasses, dressed in a leather jacket, dress shirt with a loose tie and press badge at her throat and jeans._

"_Um…, sorry officer, but what are you doing here?" Said glasses while she tried to smile nonthreateningly, she had noticed that her bat broke against his head and yet the cop acted like she had done nothing to him, _Crap, what do they make them out of nowadays.

"_What am I doing here? What are you doing in my apartment, hm?"_

_Now the intruder looked bewildered. "This is my friend's apartment, not yours. If you don't tell me why you're here now I'll ask that you leave."_

WHAT! This is my apartment!_ Shizuru quickly looked around the entry way, seeing a few pictures that confirmed her thoughts._

_Right before she could voice this batgirl had gotten pepper spray out of her bag and blasted it in Shizuru's face. The pain was neither great nor persistent, but it caused Shizuru to revert to normal then shift to claw arms._

_Upon seeing a demon eyed monster with claw arms appear the rooms other occupant fainted._

* * *

_Chie awoke in a chair in Shizuru's living room unbound, unharmed, and startled. _I just had the weirdest dream that Shizuru was a monster, …next time I won't help you at one in the morning.

_While thinking this Chie paled when Shizuru entered the room with a cup of tea in hand and wearing exactly what she had in Chie's "dream"._

"_Now tell me who are you and what are you doing in my apartment? If you don't answer me, trust me, police will be the least of your problems."_

_The ice in Shizuru's voice chilled Chie to the bone, _What is she talking about its me, you're the reason I'm here Shizuru!

"_Uh, Shizuru it's me Chie and you're the-" Chie paused as Shizuru gripped her head and let out a pained grunt._

_As soon as it started, her attack passed._

_Chie jumped to Shizuru's side, grabbing her shoulders. "Hey Shizuru are you okay?"_

_Shizuru quickly recovered and removed Chie's hands from her shoulders._

"_C-Chie, I am sorry for how I treated you. You will not believe the story that I have for you."_

_Chie looked baffled, here was her friend since childhood who a moment ago couldn't remember her, then had an attack, now DOES remember her, and wants to bring up whatever she had found out early after their phone call._

"_I can't wait Shizuru." Chie mumbled halfheartedly._

* * *

_It was now two am and Chie was staring at a cop that then just turned back into Shizuru._

"_And that's when I walked into a baseball bat, in my apartment. Did I mention the pepper spray, also in my apartment… no, well now I have and that catches you up." _

"_Shizuru… I… you… am I awake this is a dream or a nightmare right?" Chie had a waning smile on her face as she asked._

"_Sorry Chie, this is not a dream."_

"_Oh, so I have cracked after all. Well Aoi always did like crazy, ha-ha. Oh come on that was a little funny, right?"_

_Chie's only answer was a sigh escaping from Shizuru's lips._

"_Chie, I __**need**__ your help. I need to find out what happened to me and why this Natsuki is so important to me."_

_Chie lit up at the mention of Natsuki. "Oh so you did all that for a girl eh? What's she like, she has to be stunning to catch your eye. So spill."_

_Shizuru glared at Chie "Were you paying attention, I CAN'T REMEMBER!"_

"_Ok, ok. I get it sheesh. You need some sleep."_

"_Ara, I think your right."_

"_Even with amnesia you're still in there huh?"_

"_What do you mean?" Shizuru paused to stare at Chie._

"_Ara, you would always say that. Ok get some sleep. In a few hours we can pick up the trail you left us before your… accident. Also I am bringing Aoi over later to, since she is Director Kruger's secretary she might be able to help. Try not to scare her, please."_

"_You have my word."_

"_Good, now get some sleep. You definitely need it."_

* * *

"A-Aoi?"

"God it is so good to hear that coming from you. After they told the director and he informed me that something happened to you, I feared the worst. Then Chie said you were ok, but she filled me in on everything you told her."

"… That is quite a bit to digest, and you believed her?"

"Not till I saw you all Hime eyed with slasher hands, nice little trick by the way."

"Um, thanks. They work out well."

"Good cause you are going to need them. District One has begun moving in a lot of troops, all over Fuuka. Your escape was a slap in the face to them. And there is some disturbing news about your favorite patient…" Aoi paused waiting for any reaction from Shizuru.

"You have me at a loss, who?"

Aoi's face fell at that. "Na-tsu-ki. The emerald eyed terror up on floor fifty three. Kruger said that whatever you did to cause this, it was probably because of her. He has never liked you, you know."

Shizuru's head throbbed and she was getting flashes of the inside of the Sears building. She even got a glass cell that she knew had to be Natsuki's but she could only see a pair of emerald eyes in it.

"-uru, Hey Shizuru. Are you ok?" Aoi's worried voice brought Shizuru back to herself.

"Y-yes. Just got some flashes there."

"Do you need to sit down?" Concern was evident on her face and in her voice and it felt nice to Shizuru to have someone worry, even if it wasn't needed.

"No. I'm fine, let's find Chie and get this all settled."

* * *

When they entered the living room Chie was watching the news. Apparently a virus had caused several deaths at Fuuka's Central train station, and others were hospitalized.

The moment the TV showed a picture of the platform Shizuru fell to her knees clutching her chest. It felt like something was ripping through her, _What is this?_

"Shizuru!" Chie and Aoi both yelled at the same time as they both jumped to her side.

"Are you ok? Do you need to lay down?"

"I'm fine, I don't know what happened." To prove her point Shizuru stood up and walked to the TV, but stopped right before she turned it off it.

The news had changed to the alley where she had killed the two officers last night, apparently District One has quarantined the nearby buildings because someone else had died of an "unknown disease."

_They know something. And that pain… what happened at the station?_

"I'm going out for a bit. I need you two to stay here and dig up anything you can for me, ok?"

"Sure, I have your laptop but Shizuru, Aoi works at Sears, shouldn't she act like it's a normal day? And where are you going?" Chie tried to come off as nonchalant but concern was evident in her voice.

"I'm going to check something, the concern is touching Chie but I will be fine. And I have a bad feeling that Aoi wouldn't be safe at Sears today."

"Ok, I'll call in sick today but you better take this with you just in case, ok?" Aoi handed Shizuru Chie's cell, Chie made like she was going to say something but one look from Aoi and she got right to work on the laptop.

"Ok, I will. See you in a few."

* * *

Shizuru made it to the roof of one of the buildings by the alley from the night before in only twenty minutes, running and jumping from one roof to another, her biggest problem would be trying to get to the ground without being noticed.

She quickly scratched that idea as she noticed how large the District One presence was, they had at least twenty armed men, _I need to avoid a fight, great._

Seeing no way to get into the alley unnoticed Shizuru quickly jumped to a nearby roof heading in the direction of the station.

* * *

Chie checked the time on Shizuru's laptop, 12:07, _Shizuru must just be getting to the alley, it's at least an hour to walk._

Chie knew where Shizuru was going to go, even though Shizuru had amnesia, Chie could still read her a little.

She turned back to the news, she hadn't gotten anywhere on the laptop yet, _you should be working for a government agency with a cyber-division woman._ This was the hardest hack she had ever tried, and she has gotten into plenty of databases where she wasn't supposed to be.

"Gah, this is hopeless. Not everyone is a super genius, Shizuru." Chie set aside the laptop, she had a program running to crack the files on it so she could leave it alone for a bit.

_Where did Aoi go?_

Chie was about to get up and go look for her when the laptop beeped. Chie quickly grabbed it and began to look over the few files she had open.

The first was just a bio of a "subject Kuga" with a photo at the bottom of a beautiful girl just a few years younger than Shizuru and herself.

"Nice Shizuru, I had no idea you found such a keeper."

"What did you say?" Chie jumped hearing Aoi's voice right behind her.

Aoi looked to the screen and then smacked Chie upside the head before heading to the kitchen saying something about making tea.

"Hey what did I do?"

Receiving no response, Chie returned to the laptop opening an operations folder. It had two files in it, she brought them up side by side and began reading through them. One was labeled Operation Aries, the other was Operation Kyoto.

Chie hadn't even gotten a paragraph in when she felt sick from what she was reading.

"AOI! Where is your cell?"

"In the guest room, why are you yelling?"

Chie had already bolted for the guest room.

* * *

Aoi ran to the living room, noticing Chie wasn't there now.

_What is going on?_

Aoi went and looked at what Chie had gotten open. After a few seconds she wished she hadn't looked.

_How can people do that to each other?_

Aoi's face had gone white then she heard Chie shout "I'M CALLING SHIZURU!" from the guest room.

Seconds later she heard someone knocking at the door, _that was fast_.

Racing to the door and flinging it open Aoi stumbled back as she was face to face with the barrel of a gun.

* * *

Chie had just dialed her number waiting for Shizuru to pick up when she heard someone knocking and heard Aoi rush to the door.

"Hello, Aoi?" Shizuru's voice came through the phone.

"No Shizuru, its Chie. Hey ca-"

**BANG**

After the shot rang out it was silent.

Chie felt the world stop moving then, "Shizuru get back here NOW!"

Chie ran to the entry way.

* * *

Shizuru dropped to the ground three blocks from the station then walked out onto the street.

Looking around and seeing only civilians she walked to the station, noticing that the closer she got to people the more she could feel them. She could feel their presence, hear their heartbeats, smell their scents.

When people were within twenty feet of her it became too much as Shizuru could feel the air people displaced by just moving.

Shizuru bolted for the station getting there and finding it empty of human life but she felt a very different kind of life.

This new presence surrounded her more as she walked further into the station till she made it to the platform.

The presence was all around her but it did not feel threatening or suffocating, it was soothing and felt protective.

Shizuru took in a deep breath and opened her eyes, looking around till her eyes landed on a spot of what looked to be blood that had been cleaned away. It would have been unnoticeable to a normal human, but Shizuru was quickly realizing that she could do things that defied what people believed possible.

Shizuru found the blood unsettling and pain was now coursing through her chest, she recognized it this time as bullets ripping through her.

Now panting she noticed that the presence around her had changed and as her pain receded she noticed she could feel people in the station.

Shizuru got ready to bolt as Chie's cell phone went off. Since no one was within range of her or could see her Shizuru answered.

"Hello Aoi?"

Chie's voice came through, but Shizuru noticed something was off. "No Shizuru, its Chie. Hey ca-"

**BANG**

Shizuru heard the shot and stopped breathing, the only people that she knew of right now that had accepted the "monster" that she had become were now in danger because of her.

"Shizuru get back here NOW!" Chie yelled before the line went dead.

Shizuru didn't move when the armed District One men came in, they were dressed as civilians but had gas masks, she quickly noted that they were all people that she had passed on the way in.

_Not a wise choice._

Shizuru felt like her blood had turned into boiling rage, she didn't even need to think as her eyes and arms changed.

Her transformation rewarded her with hesitation from all the men before she rushed forward and slashed her claws through the first two men, splattering the walls with their blood.

_Two down six to go._

As the others started to fire, Shizuru leapt over one and then threw him into another, she could hear the spine of one of them break.

Two shots tore through her as she had paused quickly spurring her back into action, she ran then jumped up to a wall and then jumped right at two more cutting them clean in half before she reached the ground.

Shizuru turned her head to the last two, _and then there were two._

She covered the distance between them in the blink of an eye the first didn't even realize she had ripped his head clean off his shoulders, his partner fared little better as Shizuru disemboweled him.

_I need to get back!_

Right before she could begin to run though a hand clasped around her foot.

Startled Shizuru looked down to see the man she had used as target practice earlier, without his gas mask. Blood coming out of his mouth, flesh turning a reddish orange and eyes that were glassed over and turning a yellow that glowed just as her own would glow crimson.

"I take it the other cases didn't die either." Shizuru quickly reached down and decapitated him before reverting and running home muttering, "News was wrong after all."

* * *

Nao was on her way to Fuuka Park, she had already gotten several other texts wanting to meet Juliet, she was going to make a killing today.

She got there with a few minutes to spare and received another text, before noticing a man approaching her. She knew he was the one she was looking for he came right to her, she stood out in her Fuuka Academy uniform, even though she had never attended.

"Let's go somewhere a little more private." Nao quickly lead him down a nearby alley.

* * *

The man gasped as he was held against the wall behind him by just the petit hand around his throat, Noa's other hand was busy digging through his pockets.

When he tried to move she slide him up the wall a few inches, now he was struggling to breath.

Right as he passed out Nao found his wallet, liberated it, and then left calling the police.

Sears had at least done one thing for Nao, they set up the deal with Fuuka's police, Nao pretended to be an underage girl, got perverts, took them out and left them broke for the cops.

_Today was a good day._

Nao was eyeing the seventy thousand yen she had just come into today. She had managed to get all seven of her marks in less than twenty minutes.

_Time to head back_.

The general only let her leave for an hour tops a day, she was close to her time limit.

* * *

Nao was quickly making her way back to the Sears building when she heard a commotion behind her. Turning around she caught glimpses of chestnut locks and crimson eyes, she froze.

Right as the woman was about to pass her at speeds Nao knew humans couldn't achieve, she reached for Shizuru.

Her hand grabbed air as Shizuru jumped upon the building across the street, quickly casting a glance back at her for a moment then was gone.

Nao bolted as people stared at where Shizuru had been.

* * *

Shizuru raced up the stairs in Garderobe Heights, she was covering floors at a time as she just jumped up and continuously grabbed the railing and threw herself up.

When she reached the top she kicked the door open then ran down the hall to her room pausing only for a second till she pushed it open, it was apparently unlocked, _not good._

* * *

Chie was on the couch in the living room with Aoi in her arms, both were terrified but Chie was trying her hardest to not show it for Aoi's sake.

She kept the two Sears agents in suits in her field of vision at all times, the gunshot earlier had been to scare Aoi and anyone else in the apartment. And since Shizuru's penthouse covered the entire floor no one else had heard.

Aoi and Chie jumped when they heard the loud slam of a door, the two agents readied their weapons and aimed at the door.

Right when it opened another shot rang out, Aoi screamed and looked away and Chie just stared at Shizuru.

Her eyes wear changed but her arms were still normal, but Chie was staring right between her eyes at the quickly vanishing bullet hole, soon enough the only trace of it was the small trail of blood.

* * *

As Shizuru wiped the blood from her face the only sound in the room was Aoi's quiet sobbing. Chie then whispered to her and she looked up to see Shizuru unharmed.

"Chie, Aoi, why don't you two leave the room." Shizuru's voice chilled the two agents' blood.

As the two made to stand up one of the agents motioned for them to stop, both froze and looked to Shizuru.

In the time it took them to look to her Shizuru wasn't there, she was in front of them holding both agents by the throats. The agents dropped their guns as Chie and Aoi retreated across the room but didn't leave.

"Go."

"No." Was the response that Shizuru heard.

Looking to her friends, "You two won't like what you see me do, please."

Seeing their faces she knew that they wouldn't leave, she turned back to the agents and dropped them while knocking their guns away from them.

"You shouldn't have come into my home."

"And you should be dead twice over."

The agent's voice sounded familiar to her and as she looked at him she would have sworn she had seen him before.

He reached into his pocket eyeing Shizuru as she tensed, pulling out a cell phone and handing it to her after dialing. "It's for you."

"Hello."

"Hello Shizuru, how are you doing?" Her anger quickly flared back as she recognized the voice.

"Reito."

* * *

The general picked up his ringing phone, he had been waiting for this call for hours.

_It is about time someone found her._

"Hello."

"Hello Shizuru, how are you doing?" Reito tried to come off as charming as possible.

"Reito." The malice in her voice shocked him.

"I take it you are still angry about subject Kuga then."

"Who?" The confusion in her voice confirmed his suspicions, amnesia.

"Natsuki."

A pause then.

"Is she ok?"

"Of course she is, why wouldn't she be?"

"Because your agents showed up and scared my friends to death. They also shot me in the head, but I assumed you knew about that." The anger was back in her voice tenfold.

"Again, they shot you again?" Now he was angry, can't anyone do as their told?

_But this could prove useful…_

"What do you mean again?"

"Shizuru, the two in front of you are from the team that killed you. They are the reason you are in this situation, consider them a gift. I know that you are like Kuga now so you may do as you please with them. Then you can come back and we will see about making you normal again."

"Why should I trust you, District One has done nothing but shoot at me. I awoke in a morgue, while being carved on by Sears's scientists. I think I'll stay where I am."

"Shizuru you are forcing my hand, either come in or I will terminate subject Kuga."

"You leave her out of this; she has nothing to do with this." Reito could feel the venom and hate coming through the phone and he was positive that if they were face to face, Shizuru's hands would be at his throat.

"She has everything to do with this, you have my answer. What will you do?"

"I'll be there tomorrow." Shizuru's defeated voice came through.

"Good, see you then." Reito sighed after hanging up, _that could have gone better._

* * *

Nao had made it back to Sears and rushed to the generals office to inform him, but when she got there he was on the phone with _Shizuru_ already, _Damn it._

She had heard the whole conversation, _this is getting out of hand._

"WHERE IS THAT GERBIL, REITO IS IT TRUE!"

_Crap, that thing is back._

Nao bolted just as she heard a quiet voice say, "Its General, Haruka. And please don't yell."

"THAT'S WHAT- That's what I said."

The duo then entered the general's office and Nao resumed her spot at the door.

* * *

"Good, see you then." Shizuru crushed the phone in her hand.

"Glad to see reason won out, we will escort you tomorrow."

Shizuru just gazed at the agents that were now standing, _you fool._

"Actually he sold you both out." Shizuru let a twisted smile come to her face as she watched them both pale.

"He wouldn't do-" Neither could make a sound as Shizuru's hands were again around their throats.

Shizuru looked back at Aoi and Chie, "Please don't watch this."

The hurt in her voice and the pained expression on her face had Aoi closing her eyes and burying her face in Chie's neck, but Chie watched as tendrils burst from Shizuru's body and began to consume the two struggling agents, _oh God Shizuru… What did they do to you?_

After a second the agents were gone and Shizuru was on the floor holding her head crying out, Aoi rushed over to her throwing an arm over her shoulder, telling her it will be ok.

* * *

_**Quickly climbing over the fence she glanced back to see that there was now four people chasing her, she ran out of the alley as fast as she could and right across the street without even looking when she heard a shot ring out in the night…**_

_**She reached into her coat pocket, the four guns aimed at her steadied themselves at either her head or chest. Taking a breath she pulled out the vial that they wanted and with the vial in one hand she raised her hands up and they lowered their weapons, caution etched on their faces. **_**Good they know what it is**…

_**Right as she turned around she heard the recruit say something to her superior and could feel the guns on her back again.**_

"_**Stop right there Fujino, you are coming back with us no matter what and so is that vial."**_

_**Just then the doors started to shut and Shizuru tried to bolt for it as several shots rang out from behind her.**_

* * *

As Shizuru returned to herself, she noticed Aoi holding her and wiping blood from her nose with Chie in the background eyeing her, _obviously didn't listen to me._

"I'm fine Aoi. You should both head home now." Shizuru stood and helped Aoi up.

Chie came to stand between them, "So that's what you meant when you said you… _consume_ people right?"

"… yes." Chie could barely hear the whisper that slipped past Shizuru's lips, she could see the pain on Shizuru's face.

"Yes… I'm a monster. So you should leave, tomorrow I will turn myself into Sears and-"

"WHAT! Shizuru you can't, do you know what they will do to you?" Aoi screamed as she wrapped her arms around Shizuru trying to change her mind.

"I have no choice, they will kill Natsuki if I don't go." Shizuru pulled herself from her friend's arms and looked at Chie.

"This is the only option I have now."

As Aoi looked to Chie with tears in her eyes Chie did what Shizuru didn't expect, she wrapped her arms around Shizuru and spoke in a clear tone that held none of the fear she had moments ago.

"No its not and you're not a monster, your Shizuru. A monster can't love something enough to hand itself over to people like that, they are the monsters. Not you."

Shizuru didn't move, she was enjoying the feeling of someone else protecting and comforting her even for just a moment.

She finally pulled away and after looking to them again had a different idea.

"Thank you, Chie, Aoi. Now you should leave, it isn't safe here anymore and I have something that I need to do."

As she made her way toward the door, Shizuru was stopped by Aoi then Chie blocking her path.

"We won't let you turn yourself in Shizuru, we can figure something else out." To prove her point Aoi took a few steps forward, right in front of Shizuru.

Shizuru noticed Chie was about to speak and cut her off, "Who said anything about turning myself in? I have a plan."

Chie all but jumped Shizuru at this news, "Well what is it? We thought we were going to have to detain you till we came up with one!"

"Its best you don't know, but I will tell you that I intend to find out everything the new and improved me can do before tomorrow. Do either of you know a nice big secluded spot that I can use?"

Aoi's face brightened, "Yeah there is a construction zone in the southern part of the city. The crew is on strike and no one has shown up for days, that should do."

"Thank you, now you should both leave. Tomorrow will be a big day and you both need to be someplace safe."

Chie spoke before either of the other women could, "I think we will stay here and keep working on the…"

Chie ran to the living room and ran back bringing the laptop. She showed Shizuru the screen, it had a picture of a young women a few years younger than them, with midnight blue hair and emerald eyes.

The picture instantly set Shizuru at ease, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen even if the picture's occupant was scowling at the camera. Shizuru then had an image of the girl in her head with a blush on her face and she felt a single tear roll down her face.

"Thank you." Then she was gone, leaving the two alone.

Aoi looked to Chie, "Why didn't you show her the rest?"

"I don't think she could have handled it yet." Chie sighed as she closed the door and locked it.

"Aoi this is going to get a lot worse before it gets better."

* * *

_Just my luck._

Nao glared at the door to the general's office. A few minutes after Haruka and Yukino went in, the colonels and a few aides showed up and joined in the discussion, though Nao couldn't hear what they had decided on.

As the door opened Nao jumped around the corner, pressing right up against the wall hoping to pick up any new information.

"…. And also get Doctor Yohko Sagisawa and Lieutenant Midori Sugiura. Have them meet us at Kuga's cell." Nao heard the general issuing the end of an order before he left with Yukino, Haruka, Takeda, and Tate all in tow.

_All of your precious colonels eh, general? Must be going to see mutt. Hm_

After the last aide left the room Nao grabbed him and slammed him into the wall.

"What are they going to do?"

The aide gasped, then realizing what had happened tried to push past her, not a wise choice.

Nao grabbed two fistfuls of his shirt then slide him up the wall a few inches, "Well? What have you all decided?"

After he had calmed the aide quietly said, "They are going to go inform Kuga that Shizuru is dead. The general feels it will be easier to control both Kuga and Fujino if they have no further contact."

Nao had stopped listening as the aide went on, _That idiot! Does he want to get us all killed?_

She dropped the startled aide and ran for the stairs.

* * *

Natsuki looked up as two women she didn't know stopped outside her cell and glanced every now and again at her, waiting. Just waiting and glancing at her, repeatedly. Over and over.

_Enough is enough._

The next time they turned back to her they jumped back from the glass, Natsuki had moved right up to them and had shifted her eyes.

_Definitely worth it._

As she lay back down, Natsuki felt a presence that she knew all too well heading toward her cell.

She glanced over to see the general and all of four of his colonels greet the two new comers before heading in.

"Well general, I must say you took your time getting here."

"Well Kuga I had some things to take care of, like a small personnel change."

As he finished the others came into the room.

* * *

_I have to stop that moron!_

Nao ran through the door to floor fifty-three.

As she finally got to the hall leading to Natsuki's cell she was stopped by one of the guards, but not before she saw Reito and his entourage plus two she didn't recognize in Natsuki's cell.

_Shit._

* * *

**AN-Well there you have it, what did you think? Also I am not sure if I will get this updated before I post a new story but it will be updated atleast once a month, sorry thats the best I can do at the time. Later.**

**Fractured**


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